Category: kifi-local-news

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – On April 7th, the Bonneville County Commissioners passed an Ordinance Imposing an Emergency Moratorium on the processing of applications for mining operations associated with water recharge facilities.

The move comes with the support of a representative from the Idaho Board of Water Resources, to “create a better path forward.” The Bonneville County Commissioners announced their preliminary decision on the Moratorium during a public hearing on April 1, 2025.

The order calls for, at most, a 180-day pause in processing applications for mining operations related to water recharge projects within the county.

According to the ordinance, the moratorium is in response to “adverse effects on the public health, safety, and welfare” caused by current recharge facilities and their associated mining operation in the county.

Under the order, the Planning and Zoning Department will be required to make revisions to the current Bonneville County Planning and Zoning Ordinance relating to the recharge basins. They will then submit the revised ordinance to the Planning and Zoning Commission and the County Commissioners for consideration.

The Bonneville County Board of Commissioners is still expected to issue a decision in the case of a local couple who claim a nearby aquifer recharge basin has damaged their home. The couple, Dana and Darla Miller, are attempting to block a planned expansion to the project, which would require an initial gravel pit to build a secondary recharge basin.

For more information on their arguments, click HERE.

It is unclear if the moratorium by the board of commissioners will impact the project, as the zoning has already been approved. Local News 8 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Local Hockey enthusiasts and the Idaho Falls Spud Kings are expressing their condolences to the family of a youth hockey player who died in a tragic car accident over the weekend.

Carter Barnes skated into the world of the Idaho Falls Youth Hockey Association at the age of 5, where he not only played the game he loved but later stepped up as a youth hockey referee,” according to his official obituary.

Carter passed away at the age of 17 on April 12, 2025.

The Idaho Falls Youth Hockey Association posted on Facebook honoring Carter and calling him “more than a teammate–he was a remarkable young man who brought kindness, grit, and positivity to every rink he stepped on. His loss is deeply felt, and our thoughts are with his family, friends, coaches, and teammates.”

Hockey fans and players across the region have joined an online movement, #sticksout4carter, placing their hockey sticks outside their doors to honor Carter and express their condolences for the Barnes family.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Carter’s family and the entire local youth hockey community during this incredibly difficult time,” wrote the Idaho Falls Spud Kings and Mountain America Center in a post on Facebook.

“We at Snake River Youth Hockey Association would like to offer our deepest condolences to the Barnes family,” wrote the group on Facebook. “Carter was not a member of our Yeti family, and we didn’t know him personally, but many of our players and coaches did! Today, we honor Carter by placing our sticks out for him!”

The young hockey player is survived by his loving parents, siblings, and stepsiblings. For more information on Carter or how to support the Barnes family, click HERE for the obituary information.

Seth Ratliff

The following is a press release from the City of Idaho Falls:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Contractors continue to make significant progress on the new Idaho Falls water tower, and work will soon begin to connect the tower to the water supply system.

Beginning Wednesday, April 16, JM Concrete will install the water main in South Capital Avenue. This will result in a detour of South Capital at Cliff Street and the west entrance of the Idaho Falls Public Library. It’s anticipated that the detour will last approximately four weeks. 

During the construction, drivers will need to seek alternative routes. However, access to the Idaho Falls Public Library and nearby Idaho Falls Power will remain open.

In the coming weeks, when construction progresses, water line work must also be completed in the Idaho Falls Power parking lot off South Capital. Temporary customer parking will be clearly signed in the already designated city-owned public parking in the adjacent Key Bank parking lot. 

Please reduce speeds, obey posted traffic control signage, and watch for construction crews throughout the work zone.

Seth Ratliff

The following is a press release from the Wyoming Department of Transportation:

JACKSON, Wyoming (KIFI) – The Wyoming Department of Transportation will begin paving the new bridge deck on the Snake River Bridge on Wyoming State Highway 22, Tuesday, April 15. In order for a loader and concrete truck to access the area, crews will hold traffic at 10 a.m. for roughly 5-10 minutes near the bridge.

Crews are encouraging travelers to avoid the construction area during that time if possible, or expect delays around the morning hours and plan accordingly.  The brief closure should only last 5 to 10 minutes, but traffic could potentially see slower speeds following the closure.

Crews are continuing to work hard in order to hit the last major milestone in the project—pouring the other half of the new bridge deck—by the end of June. Crews will also be adding an epoxy overlay to the bridge, which will likely push the work past the completion date.

Unpredictable weather and other variables may necessitate last-minute changes to the plans. WYDOT remains committed to updating the public with timely information. For more information about the current work going on at the WYO 22/WYO 390 intersection and Snake River Bridge, visit https://wy22wilsonsrb.com.

The work is part of the Snake River Bridge and Intersection project, which was awarded in November of 2022. The work includes the replacement of the Snake River Bridge on WYO 22, the reconstruction of the intersection of WYO 22 and WYO 390, wildlife crossings and other work on approximately 1.80 miles of WYO 22 and WYO 390 in Teton County. The completion date for this project is June 30, 2025.

Seth Ratliff

DAY 5 MORNING SESSION REPLAY:

DAY 5 AFTERNOON SESSION REPLAY:

UPDATE: Phoenix (KIFI)—Several witnesses took the stand on Monday in the Lori Vallow Daybell murder conspiracy trial.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner was the first testimony of the day. 

Dr. Derek Baumgarner described the autopsy he performed on Charles Vallow, Lori Vallow’s husband.

Baumgarner talked about the wounds found on Vallow and the angles suggesting the angles the shots came from.   

The next witness was Mark Saari with the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General.  He testified how Lori could receive thousands of dollars between her and her son JJ, following Charles’s death.

Lori mentioned in cross-examination that she may have tried to notify them about Charles’s death while in Hawaii.

An employee with Banner Life Insurance took the stand next to talk about how Lori called about Charles’s death and to file a claim with their office. This is how Lori learned she was not the beneficiary.  The phone conversations were played in court.

Next on the stand was Jeff Mobert with the Department of Public Safety.  He testified about the gun allegedly used to kill Charles by Adam Cox.

The final witness was Detective Casandra Ynclan with the Chandler Police Department.

She interviewed Lori shortly after Charles was killed.  Prosecutor Treena Kay played portions of the taped interview.  

Trial is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

PHOENIX, Arizona (KIFI) – Continued testimony is set to begin in the Lori Vallow case with additional witnesses taking the stand Monday morning.

Ahead of the weekend, Lori questioned her brother, Adam Cox, and Charle’s Vallow’s sister, Kay Woodcock.

Lori’s brother, Adam Cox, took the stand first in the morning.  Cox testified that Charles Cox, Lori’s then-husband, asked him to come to Phoenix to help with an intervention with Lori. He was living in Wichita at the time. He said he flew in on July 10 and was to stay with his brother, Alex Cox.  When he arrived, he couldn’t get a hold of Alex and ended up staying at his parents’ home. 

Adam answered questions about texts between him and Charles on the morning Charles was shot.  Adam said he texted him and never heard back.  Adam didn’t learn of his death until he visited with a friend in Tucson a day later.

Adam answered questions about Alex and others in their family.   

In cross-examination, Lori asked Adam when the last time they saw and spoke with each other was. When Adam said he couldn’t remember, she asked if it was during a family dinner in 2018 and if they were eating her green chile chicken enchiladas. He said he didn’t remember.

She also mentioned all the places Adam had lived and where she lived and asked if they were not physically close, to which Adam said yes.

Kay Woodcock broke down during her testimony as she spoke about learning about Charles’s death.

The trial will continue on Monday morning, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time (11:00 a.m. Mountain). There is a 30 minute delay as per Judge’s orders.